If it’s time for a crafty beer, try craft beer. But first let’s take a little look at it’s journey to Auckland…
Having a refreshing beer is a popular pastime for many New Zealanders. It’s both a sociable and enjoyable pastime that can help drinkers unwind especially after a busy day or week. Remember beer has been around a very long time in NZ and now is more popular than it’s ever been.
In the early 1980s, a new fella arrived in town, called craft beer. Although craft beer has been around and enjoyed in Europe for hundreds of years, it finally found its way to New Zealand…Hooray, I hear you say.
Craft beer is a beer made in small quantities and has a wide range of tastes and flavours. It’s brewed by small microbrewers, who have the expertise, patience, and knowledge to come up with beers that will hit the spot in a shot with it’s followers.
Craft beers are not just found in many of the excellent pubs around Auckland, but can be bought at supermarkets too, now that is refreshing to know.
These craft beers now sit nicely side by side with traditional lagers adding so much to the choice that was available just a few years ago.
Microbrewing has been so successful that it has been noticed by the big established brewers, who seem keen on taking some over, with the knock-on effect that there is even more of it around to enjoy.
Remember with so many tasty craft beers now being produced in New Zealand the choice is excellent and certainly compares to the ones available around the world.
Tip of the day…. Do a taste test at the bar to see if you like the flavour, try before you buy!!
Now it’s time to try and find a bar to enjoy that special beer or two. Don’t forget some of these bars also serve excellent food, so there’s a little something for everybody to enjoy.
Best Craft Beer Bars in Auckland
The Good George NorthWharf is found on Jellicoe Street Wynyard Quarter. It’s close to the waterfront and offers terrific views of the harbour area. This is a new restaurant and bar supplying top-quality food and a wide range of craft beers. The beers are brewed at the Hamilton brewery and when the precious cargo is ready to roll, the beer and cider are piped out from the fermentation process tanks directly into a converted fire truck. This is then delivered to the Good George and elsewhere, how cool is that.
At the Good George, there is a great range of craft beers to choose from including pale ales, stout, and of course ciders. With up to 22 taps available delivering so many various beers and ciders you are simply spoilt for choice. The food range is extensive, using the best quality locally sourced produce. Remember there are craft beers that will complement any meal, so have fun looking for that perfect match.
There is seating both indoors or outdoors and plenty to go round.
Tip… The staff really know their stuff and will help you discover a new favourite beer from the extensive tasting rack they have.
Try the rack and never look back…
10 Vultures Lane is a pub in Auckland City and has a wide selection of craft beers available. The Vultures Lane tag stems from the 1920’s when some rough unsavoury characters frequented the area at that time.
The pub has an outdoor area along with seating inside over two floors. It was revamped in 2013 and started stocking a wide range of craft beer taps which has now made it a very popular place to pay a visit.
There are over 29 taps available which are changed regularly at one time, don’t forget there is also a massive selection of bottled and canned beers too.
They are not tied to any one particular brewer, which allows them to offer beers from breweries across New Zealand, with so much choice available, it’s almost paradise for crafty beer fans.
Not forgetting there is good food available from pub snacks, salads, and much more, all makes for an enjoyable visit on any occasion.
Brew on Quay is an old heritage building which can be found at 102 Quay Street near the corner of Britomart Place. This is the place to go for that relaxed chilled cosy atmosphere with a massive stock of beers. This is a place that started out as an idea between friends who had a shared vision to open a pub.
With over 100 beers to choose from there will be something to tickle your taste buds. The friendly staff all know their stuff when it comes to beers and will help you find the beer to make you cheer….
Here you will find Lagers, IPA’s, Stouts, Pale Ales including ciders from all over New Zealand and the world on tap. The fridge beer selection will blow your socks off, the choice is simply massive.
If you fancy a bite to eat with your beer, the menus even do a beer match suggestion to help you pick that perfect beer with your meal. The food selection is varied and tasty home cooked kiwi snacks to mains, everything you need for a great night out with a buzzing atmosphere.
There is plenty of seating available both inside and outside, including a rooftop bar and patio. If you’re lucky on your visit, you may be able to hear some live entertainment.
16 Tun 10/26 Jellicoe Street is a free house bar with views out to the harbour. The free house unfortunately doesn’t mean the beers are free… It means they are free to offer top beers from brewers across New Zealand and not tied in one particular brewer.
16 Tun has around 80 different beers available from bottled through to the 19 taps that are perched tantalizing on the bars ready to be pulled. This is a pub that is passionate about its craft beers and will offer the best beers that New Zealand has to offer.
There is a good selection of food available with options of ‘half tun’ which are tasty lighter meals such as scallops, hot wings, and pork tacos. On the ‘full tun’ menu, you will find fish and chips, burgers, ribs, steak, etc. So depending on how big your appetite is you can always find something cooked to perfection and can even be beer matched to tickle the taste buds.
The helpful and friendly staff are always on hand to help find that special beer using their knowledge and tasting crates available on any tap beers.
